This winter tough on CNY roofs

by Matt Stevens

Wed, 19 Feb 2014 19:09:11 GMT —

Itâ??s no secret itâ??s been a tough winter here in CNY with below average temperatures and above-average snowfall. Randy Reinhardt, President of R & R Roofing Corporation, tells me this winter has been tough on many roofs.

â??What actually contributes to a lot of the ice is when we have a significant amount of snow, along with consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures. Those are prime ingredients to create ice dams.â??

Ice dams form when heat is lost in the attic. The snow that melts as a result of the heat loss runs down the roof, until it hits an unheated portion and refreezes as ice. With warmer temperatures arriving today, this could be problematic.

â??The snow is gonna melt much faster than the ice. And when that water comes down, and hits that overhang, and it hits that wall of ice, if it hasnâ??t broken through prior to that ice melting, thereâ??s gonna be some people (who have a significant amount of ice) who have a lot of interior damage.â??

So, what should you do to avoid damage from ice? Reinhardt pointed out a house across the street that sets an ideal example.

â??The house is proper insulated and ventilated. When you see even, continuous layers of snow, without any ice like that? Thatâ??s a perfect situation.â??

For those who already have an existing ice problem, they should contact a professional to safely remove the ice, or dig troughs in the ice so the water can flow away naturally without backing up into your home.